Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter



July 2, 1 P. HEIMLICHER APPARATUS FOR THE INTERLACED PACKAGING OF FOLDED PRINTED MATTER Filed Aug. 4, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l x w u L. TY

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July 2 1968 P. HEIMLICHER APPARATUS FOR THE INTERLACED PACKAGING OF FOLDED PRINTED MATTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1965 III III

July 2, 1968 p. HEIMLICHER 3,390,508

APPARATUS FOR THE INTERLACED PACKAGING 0F FOLDED PRINTED MATTER Filed Aug. 4, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Lib United States Patent 3,390,508 APPARATUS FOR THE [NTERLACED PACKAGING 0F FOLDED PRINTED MATTER Paul Heimlicher, Bolligen, Switzerland, assignor to Maschinenfabrik Winkler, Fallert & Co. AG., Bern, Switzerland Filed Aug. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 477,138 Claims priority, application Sweden, Aug. 25, 1964, 10,227/ 64 11 Claims. (Cl. 53-124) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter is disclosed as including sprocket means rotatable coaxially with a star wheel receiving printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scale-like fashion at a folding station. At least one endless gripper chain is engaged with the sprocket means and has grippers effective to grip copies delivered to the star wheel. A distribution station has at least two sprocket wheels thereat, and the first-mentioned gripper chain is engaged with one of the sprocket wheels with a second gripper chain being engaged with another sprocket wheel at the gripping station and laterally adjacent the first-mentioned gripper chain. The second gripper chain has grippers effective to remove part of the copies arriving at the distribution station on the first gripper chain.

The two or more gripper chains extend from the distribution station to at least one packaging and binding station, and the gripper chains deliver the folded copies to the packaging and binding station in respective opposite directions, for interlacing of the folded copies.

This invention relates to the packaging of folded printed matter and, more particularly, to an improved apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter.

At the present time, operations in printing shops are mechanized to a high degree, especially in printing plants Where newspapers and magazines are printed. Only the operation of packaging the folded printed matter into packages which may be shipped is, to a large extent, still performed manually.

It is an objective of the present inventionto transport the folded copies, to divide a series of folded copies into parts or groups of a preselected number of copies, and to combine the parts or groups into bound packages in a manner such that one part of the series of copies is added to the other part by interlacing.

There is already in existence an apparatus for the purpose of partially accomplishing this objective, but this apparatus has many drawbacks. For one thing, permissible speeds are limited due to motion sequences which do not lend themselves to high speed operations. Furthermore, the known apparatus requires a considerable transport distance between the various functions needed to form the packages.

In general, attempts are still being made to solve the problem of exactly dividing two packages by means of a divider reciprocating between two copies. If it is realized that today 20 and more copies per second can leave the same pay-out arm of the folding machine, it will have to be recognized that a rapid and continuous sequence of operations is not possible in this manner.

interlacing which is necessary to form a neat package, is generally effected by turning, through 180, a container already having in it one-half of the package. This rotation must be carried out rapidly and, since the copies rest freely in the container, their stacking is badly disturbed due to the influence of mass. Furthermore, the quick rotational motion creates noise and a great deal of wear.

3,390,508 Patented July 2, 1968 If a disordered package must be transported to the binding station without compressing it and without any guidance whatever, its stacking becomes only Worse. Furthermore, and unless such has occurred previously, the corners of the copies will bend or even tear during the binding operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter and which is free of the disadvantages of prior art apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter which has been delivered at a folding station in overlapping scale-like fashion.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter arranged in scale-like fashion overlapping each other at a printing station, involving continuously, removing the folded copies from the folding machine by at least one gripping means.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter arranged in scale-like overlapped fashion at a printing station, involving removing the copies from the printing station, and continuously delivering the products to at least one branch-off or distribution station.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the interlaced packaging of printed matter, as just mentioned, in which, at the branch-off station, the copies are divided into two parts which are separately transported to at least one packaging and binding station.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the interlaced packaging of printed matter, such as just mentioned, in which the separate parts of the printed matter are fed to the packaging and feeding stations in opposed directions to interlace the copies of one part with those of the other part.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the interlaced packaging of printed matter, of the type just mentioned, in which, in the time interval during which a package is being stacked at one printing and binding station, a completed package is bound and removed from another printing and binding station.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view illustrating the removal of the copies from the folding station;

FIG. 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic representation of branch-off stations;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view, partly in section, of the packaging and binding station; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the packaging station shown in FIG. 4.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, copies 1 delivered from folding cylinder 2 pass between a pair of folding rollers 3 and are caught, in the usual manner, by the pay-out star wheel 4. A sprocket wheel 6 is coaxial with the various discs 5 of the pay-out star wheel 4, and a gripper chain 7 extends around sprocket 6. Chain 7 has grippers 8 which are controlled by a fixed cam 9 mounted on frame 12 of the folding machine by means of plate 10 and a holding rod 11. Under the control of cam 9, grippers 8 enter the star wheel in their closed position, are opened to receive a copy, and are immediately reclosed so that each gripper 8 removes one copy from the pockets formed by buckets 13 of pay-out star wheel 4. Guide plates 14 prevent the open side of the copy from fluttering about.

While the arrangement as illustrated is applied to a folding machine having folding rollers, it is equally applicable to fiat folding machines. Such a modification has not been specifically illustrated because the pay-out star wheel of flat folding machines is constructed in the same manner as illustrated, and the particular type of folding machine is not part of the present invention.

Chain 7 transports the copies 1 to a first branch-off or distribution station 15. As shown in FIG. 2, station consists of three juxtaposed sprockets 16, 17, and 18. Chain 7, delivering copies 1 from the folding machine, is trained around middle sprocket 16, for example. Part of the copies are then taken by gripper chain 19, trained over sprocket 17, and the other part of the copies are taken by gripper chain 20, trained over sprocket 18. Although not specifically illustrated, each of the three sprockets 16, 17 and 18 has a control cam, such as cam 9 of sprocket 6, operating the grippers 8 of the respective chains.

Simplified, but otherwise equally effective, branch-off or distribution stations are illustrated in FIG. 3. Referring to this figure, gripper chain 7 runs over a sprocket 21 adjacent which is a sprocket 22 coaxial with sprocket 21. However, from this point gripper chain 7 does not return immediately to the folding machine but transports part of the copies a further distance. A chain 23 is engaged with sprocket 22, and the grippers on this chain are controlled in the same manner as those on chain 7 are controlled by cam 9 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Gripper chain 23 picks up that part of the copies which are left free by the chain 7, likewise controlled by a cam such as illustrated in FIG. 1. By appropriate choice of the control of the grippers, the size of the package can be determined at this particular point.

Chains 7 and 23 transport the copies assigned to them, which are the respective copies belonging to one package in an uninterrupted sequence, to other distributor stations 24 and 25, respectively. Here the copies belonging to one package and arriving consecutively are again divided. For example, copies ah remain on chain 23, whereas copies z'r are picked up by a chain 26. Copies s-z, forming part of the next package, remain on chain 7 and a part of these copies is picked up by chain 27.

Chains 7 and 27 convey the copies thereon to a packaging station 28, and chains 23 and 26 convey the copies thereon to another packaging station 29. The chains of each pair feed the copies thereon in opposing directions to the associated packaging station 28 or 29. For example, copies ah are fed to the packaging station 29 from the right. The closed, leading edge of these copies, for example, is engaged against stops 30 of the packaging station. The other closed edge, which has been formed by the folding funnel in the folding machine, which has not been illustrated, is thereby positioned at the inner ends of depositing forks 32 carried by a slide 31. Copies ir are fed to station 29 from the left. Their leading, closed, and folded edges rest against stops 33, and the other closed edge formed by the folding funnel is adjacent the outer ends of forks 32. One part, such as half of the package, is interlaced with respect to the other part, making clean uniform stacking possible.

This interlaced distribution is even more clearly apparent in FIGS. 4 and 5. Referring to these figures, copies a-h are already stacked while copy i is just arriving from the opposite side. In order to provide sufficient time for copy h to be arranged neatly in the stack before copy 1 arrives, that run of chain 26 between branch-off station 25 and packaging station 29 is slightly longer than the corresponding run of chain 23. Hence, chain 26 contains a larger number of grippers between stations 25 and 29, and copy i arrives at station 29 a little later. Endless belts 35 press the copies against discs 36 so that the copies are still guided even after the grippers on chains 23 and 26, for example, have been opened.

Depositing forks 32 are mounted on slide 31, and compressing forks 37 are mounted on slides 33. Slides 31 and 38 are operated by actuators 39 and 4% respectively. The lowering speed of depositing forks 32 can be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the copy, for xample, by adjusting a throttle 41. A deflection plate 42 is arranged above compression forks 37.

Slides 31 and 38 are provided in a guide column 43, and additional slides 44, 45, with forks 46, 47, respectively, are provided at the opposite side of column 43, as best seen in FIG. 5. An actuator 48 reciprocates guide column 43 between a pair of end positions, the guide column being guided in a slideway 49. Column 49 is thus shifted as soon as a package has received its full number of copies. After a finished package has been ejected, a tying device 50, of a known type, ties the package together. Stripper 51 is then moved downwardly by actuator 52 and, when the next package is completely stacked and actuator 58 moves guide column 43 into the upper end position, the finished-tied package is moved off forks 46 and 47. The tied package then falls onto conveyor belt 53 to be conveyed to its destination.

While specific embodiments of the invention have be n shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder, in overlapped scale-like fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; said second gripper chain having grippers thereon effective to remove part of the copies arriving at said distribution station on said first gripper chain; and at least one packaging and binding station; each of said first and second gripper chains extending from said distribution station to said packaging and binding station.

2. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder, in overlapped scale-like fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first mentioned gripper chain; said second gripper chain having grippers ther on effective to remove part of the copies arriving at said distribution station on said first gripper chain; and at least one packaging and binding station; each of said first and second gripper chains extending from said distribution station to said packaging and binding station; said first and second gripper chains delivering the folded copies to each packaging and binding station in opposing directions for interlacing of the folded copies.

3. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scalelike fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; a pair of second distribution stations, each of said gripper chains leading to a respective second gripper station; and a pair of third gripper chains, one at each second distribution station and each having grippers effective to remove part of the copies, arriving at the respective distribution stations, from said first and second gripper chains; a pair of packaging and binding stations; each second and third gripper chain at a respective distribution station extending to a common respective packaging and binding station.

4. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scale-like fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; a pair of second distribution stations, each of said gripper chains leading to a respective second distribution station; and a pair of third gripper chains, one at each second distribution station and each having grippers effective to remove part of the copies, arriving at the respective distribution stations, from said first and second gripper chains; a pair of packaging and binding stations; each second and third gripper chain at a respective distribution station extending to a common respective packaging and binding station; the chains arriving at each packaging and binding station delivering the copies in opposed directions thereto for interlacing of the copies.

5. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scale-like fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; a pair of second distribution stations, each of said gripper chains leading to a respective second distribution station; and a pair of third gripper chains,

one at each second distribution station and each having grippers effective to remove part of the copies, arriving at the respective distributor stations, from said first and second gripper chains; a pair of packaging and binding stations; each second and third gripper chain at a respective distribution station extending to a common respective packaging and binding station; the two chains arriving at each packaging and binding station from a second distribution station having different respective numbers of grippers in those portions thereof between the second distribution station and the respective packaging and binding station.

6. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scale-like fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination,

sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; said second gripper chain having grippers thereon effective to remove part of the copies arriving at said distribution station on said first gripper chain; at least one packaging and binding station; each of said first mentioned and second gripper chains extending from said distribution station to said packaging and binding station; at least one depositing fork at each packaging and binding station arranged to receive the copies delivered thereat; and at least one compression fork, each compression fork being associated with a respective depositing fork, and arranged to compress the copies on the associated depositing fork.

7. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scale-like fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; said second gripper chain having grippers thereon effective to remove part of the copies arriving at said distribution station on said first gripper chain; at least one packaging and binding station; each of said first and second gripper chains extending from said distribution station to said packaging and binding station; at least a pair of depositing forks at each packaging and binding station arranged to have the copies stacked thereon; a pair of compression forks at each packaging and binding station, each associated with a respective depositing fork thereat, to compress the copies on the depositing forks; and means for moving said forks alternately between a stacking position and a binding position.

8. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scalelike fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; said second gripper chain having grippers thereon effective to remove part of the copies arriving at said distribution station on said first gripper chain; at least one packaging and binding station; each of said first and second gripper chains extending from said distribution station to said packaging and binding station; at least a pair of depositing forks at each packaging and binding station arranged to have the copies stacked thereon; a pair of compression forks at each packaging and binding station, each associated with a respective depositing fork thereat to compress the copies on the depositing forks; means for removing said forks alternately between a stacking position and a binding position; means for lowering the depositing forks at each station as copies are stacked thereon; and means for controlling the rate of lowering the depositing forks in accordance with the thickness of the copies deposited thereon.

9. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scale-like fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; a pair of second distribution stations, each of said gripper chains leading to a respective second distribution station; a pair of third gripper chains, one at each second distribution station and each having grippers effective to remove part of the copies, arriving at the respective distribution station, from said first and second gripper chains; a pair of packaging and binding stations; each second and third gripper chain at a respective distribution station extending to a common respective packaging and binding station; and means at the first mentioned distribution station controlling the chain grippers of the chains thereat to deliver the copies intended for one package to one chain and to deliver a selected number of copies of the next package to the other chain.

10. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scalelike fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; said second gripper chain having grippers thereon effective to remove part of the copies arriving at said distribution station on said first gripper chain; at least one packaging and binding station; each of said first and second gripper chains extending from said distribution station to said packaging and binding station; at least a pair of depositing forks at each packaging and binding station arranged to have the copies stacked thereon; a pair of compression forks at each packaging and binding station, each associated with a respective depositing fork thereat to compress the copies on the depositing forks; means for moving said forks alternately between a stacking position and a binding position; strippers 'at each packaging and binding station each movable with a respective depositing fork during such alternation; said strippers, as each set of forks moves into the copy receiving position, engaging the tied package of copies thereon and displacing the tied package of copies from the depositing forks.

11. Apparatus for the interlaced packaging of folded printed matter delivered from a folder in overlapped scalelike fashion, at a folding station, to a pay-out star wheel, said apparatus comprising, in combination, sprocket means rotatable coaxially with said pay-out star wheel; at least one first endless gripper chain engaged with said sprocket means and having grippers thereon effective to grip the copies delivered to the pay-out star wheel; a distribution station having thereat at least two sprocket wheels, said first gripper chain being engaged with one of said sprocket wheels; at least one second gripper chain engaged with another sprocket wheel at said distribution station and laterally adjacent said first gripper chain; said second gripper chain having grippers thereon effective to remove part of the copies arriving at said distribution station on said first gripper chain; at least one packaging and binding station; each of said first and second gripper chains extending from said distribution station to said packaging and binding station; at least a pair of depositing forks at each packaging and binding station arranged to have the copies stacked thereon; compression forks at each packaging and binding station, each associated with a respective depositing fork thereat to compress the copies on the depositing forks; means for moving said sets of forks alternately between a stacking position and a binding position; strippers at each packaging and binding station each movable with a respective depositing fork during such alternation; said strippers, as each set of forks moves into the copy receiving position, engaging the tied package of copies thereon and displacing the tied package of copies from the depositing forks; and an endless conveyor receiving the tied packages displaced from the depositing fork.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,237,196 4/1941 Pomieraniec c 198--179 X 2,668,483 2/1954 Sykes l98-31 X 3,186,564 6/1965 Hyer -7 X 3,199,865 8/1965 Lindemann 271-64 3,292,505 12/1966 Wiseman 93-93 WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

